five tales-第54部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


'How　much？'　Ten　thousand；　twenty　thousandhow　much？　If　only　with　his　money　he　could　buy　one　year；　one　month　of　youth。　　And　startled　by　that　thought；　he　wrote　quickly：


'DEAR　HERRING；Draw　me　a　codicil　to　this　effect：　〃I　leave　to　my　niece　Irene　Forsyte；　born　Irene　Heron；　by　which　name　she　now　goes；　fifteen　thousand　pounds　free　of　legacy　duty。〃　'Yours　faithfully；　'JOLYON　FORSYTE。'


When　he　had　sealed　and　stamped　the　envelope；　he　went　back　to　the　window　and　drew　in　a　long　breath。　　It　was　dark；　but　many　stars　shone　now。




IV


He　woke　at　half…past　two；　an　hour　which　long　experience　had　taught　him　brings　panic　intensity　to　all　awkward　thoughts。　　Experience　had　also　taught　him　that　a　further　waking　at　the　proper　hour　of　eight　showed　the　folly　of　such　panic。　　On　this　particular　morning　the　thought　which　gathered　rapid　momentum　was　that　if　he　became　ill；　at　his　age　not　improbable；　he　would　not　see　her。　　From　this　it　was　but　a　step　to　realisation　that　he　would　be　cut　off；　too；　when　his　son　and　June　returned　from　Spain。　　How　could　he　justify　desire　for　the　company　of　one　who　had　stolenearly　morning　does　not　mince　words　June's　lover？　　That　lover　was　dead；　but　June　was　a　stubborn　little　thing；　warm…hearted；　but　stubborn　as　wood；　andquite　truenot　one　who　forgot！　　By　the　middle　of　next　month　they　would　be　back。　　He　had　barely　five　weeks　left　to　enjoy　the　new　interest　which　had　come　into　what　remained　of　his　life。　　Darkness　showed　up　to　him　absurdly　clear　the　nature　of　his　feeling。　　Admiration　for　beautya　craving　to　see　that　which　delighted　his　eyes。

Preposterous；　at　his　age！　And　yetwhat　other　reason　was　there　for　asking　June　to　undergo　such　painful　reminder；　and　how　prevent　his　son　and　his　son's　wife　from　thinking　him　very　queer？　　He　would　be　reduced　to　sneaking　up　to　London；　which　tired　him；　and　the　least　indisposition　would　cut　him　off　even　from　that。　　He　lay　with　eyes　open；　setting　his　jaw　against　the　prospect；　and　calling　himself　an　old　fool；　while　his　heart　beat　loudly；　and　then　seemed　to　stop　beating　altogether。　　He　had　seen　the　dawn　lighting　the　window　chinks；　heard　the　birds　chirp　and　twitter；　and　the　cocks　crow；　before　he　fell　asleep　again；　and　awoke　tired　but　sane。　　Five　weeks　before　he　need　bother；　at　his　age　an　eternity！　　But　that　early　morning　panic　had　left　its　mark；　had　slightly　fevered　the　will　of　one　who　had　always　had　his　own　way。　　He　would　see　her　as　often　as　he　wished！　　Why　not　go　up　to　town　and　make　that　codicil　at　his　solicitor's　instead　of　writing　about　it；　she　might　like　to　go　to　the　opera！　　But；　by　train；　for　he　would　not　have　that　fat　chap　Beacon　grinning　behind　his　back。　Servants　were　such　fools；　and；　as　likely　as　not；　they　had　known　all　the　past　history　of　Irene　and　young　Bosinneyservants　knew　everything；　and　suspected　the　rest。　　He　wrote　to　her　that　morning：


〃MY　DEAR　IRENE；I　have　to　be　up　in　town　to…morrow。　　If　you　would　like　to　have　a　look　in　at　the　opera；　come　and　dine　with　me　quietly　。。。。〃

But　where？　　It　was　decades　since　he　had　dined　anywhere　in　London　save　at　his　Club　or　at　a　private　house。　　Ah！　that　new…fangled　place　close　to　Covent　Garden。。。。

〃Let　me　have　a　line　to…morrow　morning　to　the　Piedmont　Hotel　whether　to　expect　you　there　at　7　o'clock。〃　〃Yours　affectionately；　〃JOLYON　FORSYTE。〃


She　would　understand　that　he　just　wanted　to　give　her　a　little　pleasure；　for　the　idea　that　she　should　guess　he　had　this　itch　to　see　her　was　instinctively　unpleasant　to　him；　it　was　not　seemly　that　one　so　old　should　go　out　of　his　way　to　see　beauty；　especially　in　a　woman。

The　journey　next　day；　short　though　it　was；　and　the　visit　to　his　lawyer's；　tired　him。　　It　was　hot　too；　and　after　dressing　for　dinner　he　lay　down　on　the　sofa　in　his　bedroom　to　rest　a　little。　　He　must　have　had　a　sort　of　fainting　fit；　for　he　came　to　himself　feeling　very　queer；　and　with　some　difficulty　rose　and　rang　the　bell。　　Why！　it　was　past　seven！　　And　there　he　was　and　she　would　be　waiting。　　But　suddenly　the　dizziness　came　on　again；　and　he　was　obliged　to　relapse　on　the　sofa。　　He　heard　the　maid's　voice　say：

〃Did　you　ring；　sir？〃

〃Yes；　come　here〃；　he　could　not　see　her　clearly；　for　the　cloud　in　front　of　his　eyes。　　〃I'm　not　well；　I　want　some　sal　volatile。〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃　　Her　voice　sounded　frightened。

Old　Jolyon　made　an　effort。

〃Don't　go。　　Take　this　message　to　my　niecea　lady　waiting　in　the　halla　lady　in　grey。　　Say　Mr。　Forsyte　is　not　wellthe　heat。　　He　is　very　sorry；　if　he　is　not　down　directly；　she　is　not　to　wait　dinner。〃

When　she　was　gone；　he　thought　feebly：　'Why　did　I　say　a　lady　in　grey　she　may　be　in　anything。　　Sal　volatile！'　　He　did　not　go　off　again；　yet　was　not　conscious　of　how　Irene　came　to　be　standing　beside　him；　holding　smelling　salts　to　his　nose；　and　pushing　a　pillow　up　behind　his　head。　　He　heard　her　say　anxiously：　〃Dear　Uncle　Jolyon；　what　is　it？〃　was　dimly　conscious　of　the　soft　pressure　of　her　lips　on　his　hand；　then　drew　a　long　breath　of　smelling　salts；　suddenly　discovered　strength　in　them；　and　sneezed。

〃Ha！〃　he　said；　〃it's　nothing。　　How　did　you　get　here？　Go　down　and　dinethe　tickets　are　on　the　dressing…table。　　I　shall　be　all　right　in　a　minute。〃

He　felt　her　cool　hand　on　his　forehead；　smelled　violets；　and　sat　divided　between　a　sort　of　pleasure　and　a　determination　to　be　all　right。

〃Why！　You　are　in　grey！〃　he　said。　　〃Help　me　up。〃　　Once　on　his　feet　he　gave　himself　a　shake。

〃What　business　had　I　to　go　off　like　that！〃　　And　he　moved　very　slowly　to　the　glass。　　What　a　cadaverous　chap！　　Her　voice；　behind　him；　murmured：

〃You　mustn't　come　down；　Uncle；　you　must　rest。〃

〃Fiddlesticks！　　A　glass　of　champagne'll　soon　set　me　to　rights。　　I　can't　have　you　missing　the　opera。〃

But　the　journey　down　the　corridor　was　troublesome。　　What　carpets　they　had　in　these　newfangled　places；　so　thick　that　you　tripped　up　in　them　at　every　step！　In　the　lift　he　noticed　how　concerned　she　looked；　and　said　with　the　ghost　of　a　twinkle：

〃I'm　a　pretty　host。〃

When　the　lift　stopped　he　had　to　hold　firmly　to　the　seat　to　prevent　its　slipping　under　him；　but　after　soup　and　a　glass　of　champagne　he　felt　much　better；　and　began　to　enjoy　an　infirmity　which　had　brought　such　solicitude　into　her　manner　towards　him。

〃I　should　have　liked　you　for　a　daughter；〃　he　said　suddenly；　and　watching　the　smile　in　her　eyes；　went　on：

〃You　mustn't　get　wrapped　up　in　the　past　at　your　time　of　life；　plenty　of　that　when　you　get　to　my　age。　　That's　a　nice　dressI　like　the　style。〃

〃I　made　it　myself。〃

Ah！　A　woman　who　could　make　herself　a　pretty　frock　had　not　lost　her　interest　in　life。

〃Make　hay　while　the　sun　shines；〃　he　said；　〃and　drink　that　up。　　I　want　to　see　some　colour　in　your　cheeks。　　We　mustn't　waste　life；　it　doesn't　do。　　There's　a　new　Marguerite　to…night；　let's　hope　she　won't　be　fat。　And　Mephistoanything　more　dreadful　than　a　fat　chap　playing　the　Devil　I　can't　imagine。〃

But　they　did　not　go　to　the　opera　after　all；　for　in　getting　up　from　dinner　the　dizziness　came　over　him　again；　and　she　insisted　on　his　staying　quiet　and　going　to　bed　early。　　When　he　parted　from　her　at　the　door　of　the　hotel；　having　paid　the　cabman　to　drive　her　to　Chelsea；　he　sat　down　again　for　a　moment　to　enjoy　the　memory　of　her　words：　〃You　are　such　a　darling　to　me；　Uncle　Jolyon！〃　　Why！　Who　wouldn't　be！　　He　would　have　liked　to　stay　up　another　day　and　take　her　to　the　Zoo；　but　two　days　running　of　him　would　bore　her　to　death。　　No；　he　must　wait　till　next　Sunday；　she　had　promised　to　come　then。　　They　would　settle　those　lessons　for　Holly；　if　only　for　a　month。　　It　would　be　something。　That　little　Mam'zelle　Beauce　wouldn't　like　it；　but　she　would　have　to　lump　it。　　And　crushing　his　old　opera　hat　against　his　chest　he　sought　the　lift。

He　drove　to　Waterloo　next　morning；　struggling　with　a　desire　to　say：　'Drive　me　to　Chelsea。'　　But　his　sense　of　proportion　was　too　strong。　Besides；　he　still　felt　shaky；　and　did　not　want　to　risk　another　aberration　like　that　of　last　night；　away　from　home。　　Holly；　too；　was　expecting　him；　and　what　he　had　in　his　bag　for　her。　　Not　that　there　was　any　cupboard　love　in　his　little　sweetshe　was　a　bundle　of　affection。　　Then；　with　the　rather　bitter　cynicism　of　the　old；　he　wondered　for　a　second　whether　it　was　not　cupboard　love　which　made　Irene　put　up　with　him。　　No；　she　was　not　that　sort　either。　　She　had；　if　anything；　too　little　notion　of　how　to　butter　her　bread；　no　sense　of　property；　poor　thing！　Besides；　he　had　not　breathed　a　word　about　that　codicil；　nor　should　hesufficient　unto　the　day　was　the　good　thereof。

In　the　victoria　which　met　him　at　the　station　Holly　was　restraining　the　dog　Balthasar；　and　their　caresses　made　'jubey'　his　drive　home。　All　the　rest　of　that　fine　hot　day　and　most　of　the　next　he　was　content　and　peaceful；　reposing　in　the　shade；　while　the　long　lingering　sunshine　showered　gold　on　the　lawns　and　the　flowers。　　But　on　Thursday　evening　at　his　lonely　dinner　he　began　to　count　the　hours；　sixty…five　till　he　would　go　down　to　meet　her　again　in　the　little　coppice；　and　walk　up　through　the　fields　at　her　side。　　He　had　intended　to　consult　the　doctor　about　his　fainting　fit；　but　the　fellow　would　be　sure　to　insist　on　quiet；　no　excitement　and　all　that；　and　he　did　not　mean　to　be　tied　by　the　leg；　did　not　want　to　be　told　of　an　infirmityif　there　were　one；　could　not　afford　to　hear　of　it　at　his　time　of　l